Salary

Any per year per week per day per hour

 

Industry/Sector

Any Accountancy, Banking, Insurance & Finance Advertising, Marketing & PR Automotive, Aerospace, Military & Emergency Catering, Hospitality, Hotel, Cleaning & Household Services Charity & Voluntary Construction, Property, Surveying & Environment Customer Services & Call Centres Education & Training Engineering & Electronics Events, Facilities Management, Security & Safety Graduate, Trainee & Apprenticeships Health, Beauty, Nursing, Pharmaceuticals & Scientific Human Resources & Recruitment IT & Telecoms Legal Management Consultancy & Strategy Manufacturing, Industry, Energy, Utilities & Agriculture Media, New Media, Publishing, Arts & Graphic Design Public Sector & Government Retail, Wholesale, Purchasing & FMCG Sales Secretarial, Admin, PA, Languages & Research Transport, Rail, Distribution & Logistics Travel, Tourism, Entertainment & Leisure Other

 

Job Type

Any Temporary Contract Permanent Part time

advanced search options

reset and use simple search options

Addicted to love

By Trevor Davis

It's a dreadful habit, I know, and a large part of me sincerely hopes that the impending ban will help me at least cut down, if not enable me to quit altogether. Then again, there's something to be said for continuing to smoke even after July 1st - it's a fantastic way to meet people.

A lot of friends have asked me if I'm especially worried about no longer being able to smoke in pubs or clubs once the ban begins, and my answer's always the same - I'm only going to seriously miss it at gigs, or during football matches. In the case of the latter, being a Spurs fan results in stress sufficient to make me all but chain smoke while watching a game in the pub.

And there's a definite upside to it, and one I've already had first-hand experience of in the US. Being forced to venture outside to light up might mean battling the wind and rain, but it also allows you to meet scores of new people, and provides you with a great little ice-breaker.

During a four-month stay in New York last year, I lost count of the number of times I was able to engage a pretty little thingin conversation just through using the immortal line, "Excuse me, have you got a light?" We smokers are a beleaguered, admittedly foolish bunch, but there's one positive attribute we do have, (well, other than looking cool), and that's a deep-seated sense of community.

Meeting a smoker means encountering a kindred spirit of sorts, someone as beset by lack of willpower and as in thrall to an all-encompassing addiction as you yourself are, and it's in this common ground that the first flowerings of romance can emerge.

One such occasion springs to mind immediately, though hopefully its eventual conclusion won't become a widespread phenomenon once smoking in public places is outlawed.

After a rather stressful day at work, I'd popped to one of my usual haunts in the East Village for a few quiet drinks of the coloured water that Americans like to call beer, and when the inevitable cravings surfaced, I nipped out of the bar for a cigarette. I had a lighter on my person, of course, but spying an intriguing female smoker, I pounced on the opportunity to ask for a light. We got talking and after a few drinks and a few more trips outside to smoke, I'd acquired the girl's number, got a kiss and arranged a date for later in the week. Unfortunately, an angry-looking man who had been talking to the girl before I arrived took exception to this, and took a swing at me (thankfully missing) before threatening to gut me if I carried on talking to the girl. Charming fellow.

I made my exit pretty quickly (showing not a hint of cowardice, I hasten to add) and, proving that all's well that ends well, did indeed go on a few more dates with the girl in question.

And all because the lady loves Marlboro Lights.